Lifeboat holding and releasing mechanism



`Jan. 7, 1930. G. R. FENNEMA LIFEBQAT HOLDING AND RELEASIIIG MECHANISM Filed July 7 1927 2 Sheets-Shen 1 IN VEN TOR.

BY v, l P" A TTORNEYS.

Jan. 7, 1930.

G. R. FENNEMA LIFEBOAT HOLDING AND RELEASING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 7, 1927 m mm.

,e @5mm l l L; y ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 7, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIFEBOAT HOLDING .AND RELEASINGVMECHANISM Application filed July 7,

This invention relates to means for securing and releasing lifeboats and the like, on shipboard, and has as a general object the provision of improved means for securely holding such boats under normal conditions, but which are operative to release the boats when desired, in a quick, convenient and efcient manner.

More particularly an object of the invention is to provide means adapted to secure a lifeboat of the shell type on a boat deck, such means being adapted to be released either automatically or manually, when the boat sinks, as soon as the lifeboat has passed into l5 the water to a certain depth.

Another object is to provide means adapted to connect a lifeboat to the block-and-tackle falls of the ordinary type in a manner such that when desired the falls may be released 29 simultaneously, whereby the boat may be dropped on an even keel, even though the entire Weight of the boat is at that time supported by the falls.

d Other objects of the invention will in part L be' obvious and will in part appear hereinafter. v

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the constructions hereinafter setforth and the scope of the'application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which: y

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of a lifeboat of the shell type secured to the deck of a ship by the improved securing and releasing mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along the dotted lines 2--2 in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views slightly en- 5 larged and partly in section of the securing and releasing mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, vof a modified type of the securing and releasing mechanism shown attached to the boat fall leads of an ordinary lifeboat; and

1927. Serial No. 203,896.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of one end of the modified form shown in Fig. 5.

The exemplication shown inv Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, shows the ship deck l0, upon which by means of the lugs 11 is supported a lifeboat 12 of the shell type. Under normal conditions the boat may be secured to the deck by turnbuckles 11', or the like, which are ie- I leased at such times as the need for using the lifeboat may appear to be imminent.

This boat is equipped with a manhole or entrance 13, through which the occupants enter, and which may be sealed against incoming water. The boat may also if desired be equipped with Ventilating stacks 14, which in turn may be equipped with valves 15 by which the ventilators may be entirely closed off, and with suitable float-controlled cover mechanisms 16 and 16, which prevent the entrance of water into the Ventilating stacks when a wave approaches.

Along the keel line of the boat and intermediate the ends thereof are positioned lugs 17, -which are rigidly secured to the boat shell, and the inside faces 18 of which are inclined downwardly and inwardly, for reasons hereinafter explained. Attached to the boat deck and co-operating with each of the lugs 17 are hydraulically controlled plunger mechanisms generally designated as 19. These mechanisms comprise cylinders 20, fixed in position with respect to the deck 10, in which move closely fitting plungers 21, the exposed faces 22 of which are oppositely inclined to4 and mate with the inclined faces 18 of the lugs 17. Communicating with the rear end of each cylinder 2O is a pipe 23, which leads .to the chamber 24 of a special cross 25, which is situated intermediate the plunger mechanisms 19, and preferably at approximately the center of the boat keel. Also communicating with the chamber 24 of the cross 25 is a pipe 26, which leads to the mechanism shown in detail in Fig. 4.

This mechanism in Fig. 4 is situated on the CII deck of the ship in a convenient location, and

as shown comprises a liquid supply tank 27 attachedv by a pipe 28 to a pressure pump 29, from which liquid may be forced through the pipe into the pipe 26, and thence into the inner ends of the cylinders 20, which in turn force the rams 21 outwardly until theyV contact with the lugs 17. AIn this position a vent 31 in each cylinder 20 is uncovered. Each of these vents is connected to a pipe 32, in which is situated a valve 33, the pipe 32 leading back tothe tankl 27. By forcing liquid *i 1o a and the actuatlon of thepump 29iscont1nued` downwardly untilv the port 40'inthe pistonA rod 41 registers with the ports 42 in the walls` through the systemand back'into the tank 27, thecylinders and pipes are purged free of any air, whereupon the valves 33 are closed until' the desired hydraulic pressure is ob` tained in the system. VThis pressure is indicated by suitable valves l34, which may be conveniently placed, as shown in Fig. 4, on

ythe pipe 30',- and the pipe V30 may also be equipped with a valve 35, which'isclosed after the desired pressure isobtained.

Connecting withthe' pipes 26 and 3() vis a spring-pressed piston' valve 36having a piston` 37, whichzis normally retained in its outwardv position by thev springV 38, and upon` which the lhydrostatic pressure operates when the ship is submerged rlheV tension of the spring 38 may be'adjusted'by a suitable screw mechanism 39, sotliat at any desiredk hydrostatic pressure the'pist'on 37 may be forced of the release valve 36;

The operation of the releasing mechanism above described will be readily apparent to one skilledl inl the art. When the hydraulic pressure has beenplacedly onr the rams 19,'they will be forced outwardly so as to securely retain the boat 12. If the ship sinks,.the hydro-l 19 inwardly, until the boat can rise clear of the ship. i Itk will be readily understood that this mechanism may be set to operate automatically well in advance of any dangerous Y hydrostatic pressure which would crsh'the lifeboat.

lifeboat 12, and moreover that if, for exam`A ple, the mechanism is set to operate automatically at a hydrostatic pressure of- 80 feet and the lifeboat is only su merged to a depth of 40 feet, the passing of awave 40 feet highv would actua-te the mechanism and' release the Further to insure means for releasinglthe retaining mechanism independently of the automatic release above described, such means being controlledmanually from within the' lifeboat. In the exemplifi'cation shown such independent release-isf attained by meansof a pipe 43communicating with the ch'amber24, and leading through the bottom of the boat shell to a tank 44, the flowy the" safetyfo'f theoccu-l pants ofthe' lifeboat 12", there'i's provided aA of liquid from the system into thetank being wishes to release the boat from the ship, the

`valve 45 is opened and thek liquid flows from the system into the tank 44, thus releasing the pressure on the plungers 21. For the guidance of the operator, the hydrostatic pressure on the lifeboat may be indicated by a suitable gauge 46. It will be understood of course that the pipe43 ispassed through the bottom of the shell 12 in a. manner so as to prevent the ingress' ofv water, and that it is connected to the cross v25 b the like, so that whenv the li eboat rises from the ship the pipe43 will be readily disconl nected from-the cross 25;A l Y From any understanding of the above'struc ture,the operation of the modified form of thesecuring' and releasing ,deviceshown'in Figs..

5 and 6 willl be readily understood. Inl the a slip-joint or exemplification shown,1a^block 47 havingan secured to each endV of the lifeboat 50 an upinclined face 48 is attached to each boatfall@ tackle-block 49. Likewiser there is rigidlystanding lug 51,.against which theother ,side

of the block-47 rests. Each lug 5 1 may, if

desired, be equipped withasnap-h'ook 52, by v which the lifeboat may be readily secured to the boat falls for hoisti-ngback onto theldeckf of the ship and to facilitate this the block 47 may be equipped' witha loop 53, which may be snapped into the; hook 52, as shown in dotted lines in Fig'. 6. Cooperating with the inclined face 48fof each block-47 are hydraulic.

rams 54, which are rigidlysecured tothe lifeboat, and which arel of the same designv as the hydraulic rams 19 described above. The hydraulic pressure which normally retains the rams outwardly is supplied from the tank 55 by means of the pump 56 through the pipe 57, after Vwhich the valve 60,isfclosed.

The fiushing out of the system is accomplished lthrough the pipes 58 and 59, and the hydraulic pressure is retainedV in the system by the valves 60, 61 and 62. Y

When it is desired to release the lifeboat either at the t'ime'itl is resting on the surface of the water or while it is stillisus-pended some distance above the Water, this can be done quickly and eliiciently by releasing the pressure in the system by means of the valve 62, which isshown in Fig. 5 as situated at the forward end of the cabin of the lifeboat. This release valve may be of course situated at any other convenientpoint in the system,

'and the excess liquid may pass into the tank 63 or be ejected overboard, as desired.y

It is particularly desired to'be pointedv out that an obvious modification of the presentV invention would be to reverse the relativ'evposition of the hydraulic plungers 19 and the tion to a position on the lifeboat and thedeck of the ship respectively in Figsz-.l to 4,Y and lcooperating lugs 17 from their present posi-`ll`r I i Since certain other changes may be made in the above construction an different embodi- 1 ments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which as a matter of language might be Ysaid to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l l. A life-saving apparatus, comprising, in combination, a ship, a closed lifeboat supported thereby, and means adapted t-o be actuated by hydrostatic pressure automatically to release the boat from the ship as they pass under the surface of the water, said automatic means being adjustable to be actuated at variable and predetermined hydrostatic pressures.

l 2. A life-saving apparatus, comprising, in combination, a ship, a closed lifeboat supported thereby, means for securing the boat to the ship, means for automatically releasing said securing means as the boat passes into the water, and means within the boat for Vmanually releasing said securing means independently of the actuation of the automatic releasing means.

3. A life-saving apparatus, comprising, in combination, a ship, a closed lifeboat supported thereby, and means adapted to be actuated by hydrostatic pressure automatically to release the boat from the ship as they pass under the Vsurface -of the water, and means within the boat for manually releasing said securing means independently of the actuation of the automatic releasing means.

4. A life-saving apparatus, comprising, in combination, a ship, a closed lifeboat supported thereby, and means adapted to be actuated by hydrostatic pressure automatically to release the boat from the ship as they pass under the surface of the water, said automatic means being adjustable to be actuated at variable and predetermined hydrostatic pressures, and means within therboat for manually releasing said securing means independently of the actuation of the automatic releasing means. Y

5. A boat securing and releasing apparatus, comprising, in combination, a lifeboat, means for securing the same to a support, said securing means including a pair of spaced rigid lugs and a pair of hydraulic plungers acting against said lugs to secure the lifeboat on the'support, and means for releasing the hydraulic pressure from the plungers to release the boat from the sup- 1:

port..V y 6. A boat securing and releasing apparatus, comprising, in combination, alifeboat,

means for securing the same t-o a support,

said securing means including a pair of4 spaced rigid lugs and! a pair of hydraulic plungers cooperating with said lugs to secure the lifeboat on the support, and means actuated by hydrostatic pressure for automatically releasing the hydraulic pressure `from the plungers to release the boat from the support as the support passes into the water.

7. A boat securing and releasing apparatus,'comprising, in combination, a lifeboat, means for securing the `same to a support, said securing means including a pair of spaced rigidflugs and a pair of hydraulic plungers cooperating with said lugs to secure the lifeboaton the support, and' means, both automatically and manually controlled, for selectively releasing the hydraulic pressure from the plungers to release the boat from the support.

8. A boat securing and releasing apparatus, comprising, in combination, a lifeboat, means for securing the same to a support, said securing means including a pair of spaced rigid lugs and a pair of hydraulic plungers cooperating with said lugs to secure the lifeboat on the support, and means for withstand hydrostatic pressure, a pair of opposed lugs rigidly secured to said lifeboat and having the inside 4faces thereof inclined downwardly and inwardly, aV support for Said boat, a pair of hydraulic rams rigidly secured to said support and-positioned between said opposed lugs, the pistons of said' rams having exposed ends inclined oppositely to and mating with the inclined faces of the lugs and adapted to cooperate therewith to secure said lifeboat on said's'upport, a hydraulic pressure system for subjecting the inner ends of the pistons to pressure and to press them outwardly against said lugs, and means for releasing the pressure from the system whereby the pistons may move inwardly` to release the boat from the support.

10. A life-saving apparatus comprising, inV

combination, a closed lifeboat adapted to withstand hydrostatic pressure, a pair of opposed lugs rigidly secured to said life boat and having the inside faces thereof inclined downwardly and inwardly, a support fo;` said boat, a pair of hydraulic ramsrigidly secured to said support'and positioned bei tween said? opposedflugs, the.V pistons of4 said rams lugs and adapted. to cooperate, therewith vto n the support.'-

' ,secure said lifeboato'nrsaidsupporu! a hy-f draulic pressure system.- for subjecting the y11nner ends ofthe pistons to pressure and topressthemV outwardly against said. lu'gs, and

means for manuallyreleasing the pressure.Y 4from the system. whereby the.` pistons may move. inwardlyv toy release? the lifeboat from 11. f VA life-saving; apparatus comprising, in

combination, av closed lifeboat adaptedv to( withstand hydrostatic pressure, a pair of op.-

posed lugs rigidly securedtosaid lifeboat and I having the inside faces thereofv inclineddownwardly anda inwardly, a: support for said boat, a pair of hydraulic rams rigidly .secured to said support andposi'tionedbetweenl said` opposedv lugs, the-pistons of` saidl/ rams` having exposed ends inclined oppo sitelyI to and mating with'the inclined faces of the'lugs` and 'adapted to= cooperate therea with to securesaidlifeboaton said support,

a hydraulic pressure system for subjecting theinner ends of the' pistons to pressureand to (pressthem-outwardly against said lugs, an

means for automatically releasing the.V pressure:` fromthe system as the boat passesunder the Water, whereby thefpistons Ymay move inwardly Yto release the lifeboatv from? Y the support;

12. A life-saving lapparat-us comprising, yin

:'combination, a. closed lifeboaty adapted to withstand hydrostaticpressu, apair of op posed ilugsrigdlyV secured tov said lifeboat. and havingv the'y insideL faces thereof. inclined downwardly and inwardly, v a support for said boat, a: pair of! hydraulic "rams rigidlysecured. to.H said-support and. positioned: be-

tween said'oppos'ed lugs, the pistons of said rams having;l exposedV ends Y inclined.v oppositelly7 to/andf'mating' with thevinclined faces f of the lugs andv adapted to cooperatefthere-v with to'securesaid' lifeboat on said support,

a hydraulic pressure system for subjecting Y the rinner ends ofthe pistons-to pressure-'and-V toV press ,them-outwardly. against said. lugs,

Y static pressures.

\ and means forY Vautomatically 'releasing the ypressure from'th'e systemv asthe boat passes lposedj lugs rigidlyfsecured tov said lifeboat and' having? the inside faces thereof-. inclined downwardly and inwardly, a.- suppcrt for said boat., a pair offhydra'ulic rams. rigidly secured tofsaid supporti' and' positioned between saidopposed lu'gsfthez pistons-'of said.

having exposedendsinclined oppositelyj Y to and mating with the inclined faces ofthe.

I system.

rams having exposed ends inclined, oppositelyv to and mating with the inclined faces yof the lugs and adapted to'cooperate therewith to secure said lifeboat on said support,

a hydraulic pressure system for subjecting the inner endsof the pistons to pressure and to press them outwardly against said lugs,f and means for automatically releasing theV pressure from. the system as the boat passesy vunder the water, whereby. the. pistons-may move'inwardly toA release the lifeboat from the support, said automatic meanscompris ing a springpressed piston valve, the pistonof which is adapted to be actuated by hydro-l Y static pressure developed as the lifeboat .passesunder the water, such actuation causing 'y the release of the. pressure in the hydrostatic 14. A life-saving apparatus comprising/.inf

combination a closed lifeboat adapted to withstand hydrostatic pressure, apa-ir ofo'p.V

posed lugs rigidly secured to said lifeboat' and having the inside faces thereof inclinedV downwardly and inwardly, a support for said boat, a pair of hydraulic rams rigidly secured to said support and. positioned ybe-V Y tween; said opposed lugs',.the.pistons of said. rams having exposed ends inclined oppo-y sitely to and matingwith the inclined faces of the lugs and adaptedY to; cooperate therewith to secure said lifeboat on said support, a hydraulic pressure system for subjecting the inner endsof the pistonsto IriressureandiV to press them outwardly against said. lugs,- and means fort automatically' releasing the;

csf

pressure from the system as theboat passes under the water, whereby the pistons may move inwardly to release' the lifeboat from the support, said automatic means compris-f inga spring-pressed piston valve, the piston` of which is adapted to be actuated by hydro-- static pressure developed as the lifeboat pass-v es under the water, such actuation causing the.`

opening ofa port connected with the pressure. y system and with the atmosphere, whereby the pressure is released from thesystem.l j l. 15. A life-saving apparatus comprising, in combination, aclosed lifeboat adapted to withstand hydrostatic pressure, ay pair of opposed lugs rigidly secured to said lifeboat and having the inside faces thereof inclined downwardly and inwardly, a support -f for said boat, a pair of hydraulic rams rigidly secured to said support and positioned be` tween said opposed lugs, the pistons of said rams having exposed ends inclined oppo-v sitelygto and mating withtheinclined faces of the lugs and adapted to cooperate therewith to secure said lifeboat on said. support, Y i

.pressure from` the system as theV boat passes under the walter,rwhereby the pistons lmay move inwardly to release the lifeboat from the support, said automatic means comprising a spring-pressed piston valve, the piston of which is adapted to be actuated by hydrostatic pressure developed as the lifeboat pass- 'es under the water, such actuation causing the opening of a port connected with the pressure system and with the atmosphere, whereby the pressure is released from the system, said piston valve being adjustable to be actuated by varying and predetermined hydrostatic pressures.

16. A life-saving apparatus comprising7 in combination, a closed lifeboat adapted to withstand hydrostatic pressure, a pair of opposed lugs rigidly secured to said lifeboat and having the inside faces thereof inclined downwardly and inwardly, a support for said boat, a pair of hydraulic rams rigidly secured to said support and positioned between said opposed lugs, the pistons of said rams having exposed ends inclined oppositely to and mating with the inclined faces of the lugs and adapted to cooperate therewith to secure said lifeboat on said support, a hydraulic pressure system for subjecting the inner ends of the pistons to pressure and to press them outwardly against said lugs, and means for releasing the pressure from 3o the system whereby the pistons may move inwardly to release the boat from the support, said hydraulic system including means for flushing out entrained gas from the hydraulic rams. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GABE R. FENNEMA. Y 

